Healthy Fast Food?

13

Replies

  • mrsshauer
    mrsshauer Posts: 1 Member
    Chipotle is my go to! Burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, veggies, steak or chicken, salsa, guacamole!
  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
    kam26001 wrote: »
    McDonald's has a salad that has grilled chicken, black beans, corn, bunch of other stuff. I don't know if the calories will work for you but it's definitely filling for what it is. Their website says 350 cals. I would've guessed 500.

    I get that one a lot and it's great! Southwest salad with grilled chicken, yum. Also, they have a cilantro lime glaze on it that works as dressing for me so no need to add to the calories with a dressing.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    I've never bought a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, so I don't know how much they generally cost, but I was just at Costco and they have them for $4.99, and they look pretty good! Grab a quick side and you're good to go. Of course, not such a great meal for on-the-go in-the-car eating!

    Another quick note though – – a lot of times I'll have the main course prepped or easy to put together, but I can't spend time on a side dish. So in those cases I'll just grab a handful of baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, etc. Or slice up an apple or two. Anything that's raw and easy to grab, even if it needs a little dip on the side. My family doesn't seem to mind.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    Whole chicken in the crockpot is great. It cooks while you work. Healthy fast food is everywhere. Most chicken salads are good options if you watch the dressing. Subway is a great option.
  • MrSmooth2017
    MrSmooth2017 Posts: 19 Member
    Here are my tips. Basically get anything you want, but forgo the fries, and have a little less, and cut the fizzy drinks. I used to have four piece KFC with large coke, gravy and fries. Now I have two piece, still have the fries, but only have a few, and get water. McDonalds, used to have two burgers, large fries etc, now I have one, a few fries and water. A Bacon roll from Costa or Starbucks is only a few hundred calories. If its through the day, the hot deli counter at a super market is great for hot chicken. Fish and Chips, don't eat all the chips and go easy on the salt.
    Chinese or Indian food is hard to cut back on, but its good to fill you up, I find if I drink water before, I dont end up eating as much so its never an issue.

    Also one day off the diet will make no difference. Just go easy the next day and stop worrying about it. Its all about balance.

  • hroderick
    hroderick Posts: 756 Member
    They all list their calories.
    Salads without dressing or just vinegar is usually very low.

    I had Subway chopped salad with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and no meat for lunch yesterday. It was huge and filling. 60 calories. So good. I think I'll have another one tomorrow, with less pickles and more cucumber.

    It is your daily total calories that matter.
  • smeebles
    smeebles Posts: 21 Member
    I have good luck at Wendy’s
    Small chili
    Grilled chicken sandwich
    half power Mediterranean salad
    All are good options with a decent amount of protein

    Sometimes I’ll go subway with a double chicken chopped salad.

    Another of my favorites is fresco tacos from Taco Bell for 140 calories
  • HilTri
    HilTri Posts: 378 Member
    Zoe's Kitchen if you have one near by. They even do family meals!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Plan ahead. Crockpot meals, leftovers (make extra of everything and you can just microwave a portion in 2 minutes in the microwave). Busy nights are just leftover nights at my house.

    You can always get lower calorie portions at fast food places though - just look at the menu!

    I'm a bit confused about how Panera and Chipotle would be an option though, as it would take me longer to go there and wait for my food than make something at home.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Plan ahead. Crockpot meals, leftovers (make extra of everything and you can just microwave a portion in 2 minutes in the microwave). Busy nights are just leftover nights at my house.

    You can always get lower calorie portions at fast food places though - just look at the menu!

    I'm a bit confused about how Panera and Chipotle would be an option though, as it would take me longer to go there and wait for my food than make something at home.

    You don't know the OP's situation. Maybe they don't have groceries in the house at the moment. Maybe they are running around picking up kids and have an hour between pick-ups and no time to run back home and fix a meal. In my area Panera has online ordering that you can do and just pick up your meal when you get there--this is an excellent option for people on the go, who don't have the time to wait. The wait is only a few minutes usually at the Panera near me. It definitely is less of a hassle to go to Panera than make something at home. Maybe I don't feel like or have time to do the clean-up, even if I have food available.

    I don't know if Chipotle has online ordering--I stopped eating there about a year ago. In my area, we have a lot of Chipotle's but when they stopped serving organic, I thought it really went down hill. And some of them in my area are practically inedible. I have one around the corner from me, so when I used to eat there, the wait was minimal--maybe 5 minutes at the most, so still faster than cooking at home AND cleaning up.
  • BonnieSeelinger
    BonnieSeelinger Posts: 23 Member
    pomegranatecloud wrote: »
    Of chains I would go to: Sweetgreen, Chop't, Pret, Cava, Protein Bar, Roti, Taylor, Chipotle, Paul, or Au Bon Pain.

    Oh my goodness you have options. I live in a rural area of a Midwestern state. LOL.....
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    purdue had chicken breast COOKED. omg throw it on those pre pared salad bag w a hard boiled egg. poof good meal. also wendys has potatoes/ REAL POTATOES.
  • thynes1313
    thynes1313 Posts: 1,623 Member
    Low carb or not there is some great ideas here! Anywhere you can customize "a bowl" is a great idea.
    https://mrskinnypants.com/category/fast-food-guide/
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Wendy’s, McDonald’s and Subway all have healthier options. You could simply skip the fries and have the salad instead. A burger has half the carbs if you eat it open faced.

    I know you specifically asked us not to mention meal replacements but I find I make better choices if I don’t walk in to a fast food joint starving. I carry a protein bar with me. Just a bite of that will hold me over until I am ready to order and then I am more likely to order the salad instead of the fries.
  • kaztracy
    kaztracy Posts: 9 Member
    i go for subway in a bowl.. or kfc has a shaker salad which is cheap as and so yum.. the maccas salads are nice but pricey for what they are. red rooster has a new caesar range which is so yummo!!
  • rutzsa
    rutzsa Posts: 52 Member
    Assuming you have time to gather supplies and meal plan ahead of time:

    You could buy an inverter and take your crock pot in the car and serve meals on the go to each kid at different times...just google for ideas on how to make this work. Alot of the sites will most likely be RV travel sites.

    Some ideas... baked potatoes with fixings on the side, tacos with fixings on the side, soups and bread, etc....along with a cooler, there are lots of options. Will have to keep a container of plates, utensils, napkins in car too!
  • rutzsa
    rutzsa Posts: 52 Member
    Another option for fair weather would be to get a portable propane grill and grill chicken, burgers etc while waiting on kiddos at their practice..
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  • olive1968
    olive1968 Posts: 148 Member
    I'm assuming the term healthy is being used to mean "lower calorie." I go with three crunchy tacos from Taco Bell (510 give or take) or a double cheesburger and small fry from McDonalds (670ish). These two options have helped me get through some rough spots.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    The smaller size Wendy’s chili salad is very good, and filling.
  • chrissy201509
    chrissy201509 Posts: 24 Member
    Moe's has good choices
    Zaxbys
    Taco Bell
    Chipotle
    Wendy's
  • Aplant77
    Aplant77 Posts: 112 Member
    Wendy's makes chili that is low calorie, extremely filling and tasty!
  • ConnieT1030
    ConnieT1030 Posts: 894 Member
    I also vote for Subway- it can help me stay lower calorie but still get filled up (without the lure of the smell of yummy french fries that can be impossible for me to resist, so if I don't plan to make room for the insanely high calories, I stay out of places that serve them!) and Taco bell can have some good lower cal choices too, but careful with the greasy taco meat! Load the veggies, go easy on the cheese and any fatty condiments to save calories.
  • lukeruss
    lukeruss Posts: 34 Member
    Nandos has a good range of lower calorie options
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    BonnieSeelinger wrote: »
    pomegranatecloud wrote: »
    Of chains I would go to: Sweetgreen, Chop't, Pret, Cava, Protein Bar, Roti, Taylor, Chipotle, Paul, or Au Bon Pain.

    Oh my goodness you have options. I live in a rural area of a Midwestern state. LOL.....

    Living in a small town in a rural state I know restaurant options here are limited to McDonald's, Subway, Sonic, Pizza Hut, local non chain Chinese restaurant, local non chain Mexican restaurant. There is a bakery, coffee shop, gas station offering food as well as Walmart deli and grocery items.
    You can get nutritious foods at the gas station though if you needed to.
    Healthist is planning in advance some quick choices whether you eat out or make food.
    Good for you for thinking ahead to those busy days!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    lukeruss wrote: »
    Nandos has a good range of lower calorie options

    Unfortunately, not an option in the US. :'(
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    lukeruss wrote: »
    Nandos has a good range of lower calorie options

    Unfortunately, not an option in the US. :'(

    There are Nandos in the US.
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